Comments on: Daily Paper Sells Feature Space To ACHD

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 07:27:05 +0000

I’ve read the column off and on for some years and usually found it to be well done and informative. I always thought it was a paid space but I expect they get a non-profit rate or something similar.

I think it has been done by both someone on staff and a freelancer or two at different times.

By: Eric T.

Eric T. — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:51:34 +0000

I read it, I like the insight it provides. The way some of the responses are written, I came away thinking the author was an employee of ACHD.

I do read most RW online, just like the Statesman, errrr, The Daily Paper, online. At $961\week, Sunday ads seem $$$$. I wonder what other same sized ads on Sunday sell for?

How many hits does the RW get on ACHD’s site? The States….oops, The Daily, has a circulation of 60,000ish?

Cutting costs with a maul or a scalpel?

By: Gordon

Gordon — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 09:39:38 +0000

Hmmm — I had always taken it for granted that The Daily sold space to ACHD for the column (it sure looks like an ad, not The Daily’s normal type), and that somebody got paid to write it.
The costs seem a bit extreme, but I’d always rather ACHD spent money on stuff like that than on tearing up another road.

By: ericn1300

ericn1300 — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 02:30:57 +0000

Oh man! You’all wined about a lack of communication for years now and ACHD responded. Now what, you’re going to wine about the cost of the communication you asked for. Check out this chart from ACHD that reflects exactly the the dollar impact of reacting to the politics expressed in previous posts and reflect on percentage of change vs. the politics of the times: http://www.achd.ada.id.us/PDF/Budget/2009/Communications.pdf

I like the Road Wizard column because, for the most part, it skips or minimizes the politics and answers mundane, everyday concerns from actual drivers and provides a reminder of other venues of communication with the district. In doing so it brings back to mind that they are the Ada County Highway District and responsible to all in the County of Ada and just not the citizens of The City of Boise. I actually enjoy reading that others in different parts of the county are having having problems similar to those I encounter.

What I am peeved about is that ACHD doesn’t seem to have an actual budget posted at: http://www.achd.ada.id.us/Departments/Administration/Budget_2009.aspx

No budget there as far I can see. Just a bunch of apologist crappola. A budget would include a balance sheet of income and expenditures, or a least a graph of such to start with and save the apologist shit for later. If they did that, maybe we could see the relative cost of the column in perspective, which would be minuscule.

And as far as “Baker’s claim that ACHD actually PAYS nearly $50,000 of hard earned tax money to the Idaho Statesman to publish the column”, well, do you have a better venue in mind or should we just shut it down?

By: costaprettypenny

costaprettypenny — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:31:54 +0000

Seems to me that the individual who writes the Road Wizard was Ms. Baker’s supervisor when Baker worked in the City’s Planning Department. If memory serves, this lady tried to get Baker to be a productive employee but Baker resisted so this lady wanted Baker removed from the City staff, understandably. Now, it appears Baker is after her old supervisor. The vote, 4 to 1 again. The residence of west Ada County got a real winner here!

By: Wrong Target

Wrong Target — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:07:25 +0000

Dear Remember _ differently,

Shooting the arrow is fine, just make sure you have the right target. If you recall correctly, it was Judy Peavey Derr, who was on the ACHD Commission at the time the Curtis Road extension decision was first made. You may want to take a shot at her.

From what I have seen so far, Sara is doing a far better job of performing her responsibilities to the public than the whole rest of the board combined, past and present.

By: Hank

Hank — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:44:26 +0000

So Sara should make a motion to stop the practice and amend the budget. She has the authority to make a motion and change things so let’s see if she will and how the others vote.

As far as having all the PR people and flacks – the only reason they are there- in ANY AGENCY – is to protect the elected officials from having to speak and be held to their words. AND act as as in-house advertising agencies for the self interests of the elected officals. If the elected officails dissagree then let’s see you get rid of the flacks and prove you can speak for yourselves – and be held accountable. Private citizens cannot afford to hire flacks to counter all the propaganda that agencies spew out and the elected officals know it.

By: gatsby

gatsby — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:25:45 +0000

erico49 your list is way too small. Randy Stapilus compiled a list of former Idaho Journalists now mostly flaking for government and some businesses. http://www.ridenbaugh.com/idformerjourn.pdf

By: James Bond

James Bond — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 03:41:33 +0000

I just continue to be amused by government officials who are obsessed with what’s said in newspapers. As if anyone read them!!!!! Seriously, though, I spent years around elected officials and other higher ups who were on pins and needles every morning because of some article or column or editorial in a freakin’ newspaper. It was craptastic!

By: Don@KTVB

Don@KTVB — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:43:43 +0000

We used to run the column on KTVB.COM — for free in fact. We stopped because of a lack of clicks (we had to manually post it each week). We’d be happy to start running it again (still… for free) now that we have better ways to publish. Something for me to address with ACHD, perhaps.